Newcastle set for transfer U-turn – A no-brainer as ‘dream’ target emerges?
It’s fair to say Newcastle United have had a spotty start to 2024/25 with performances and results often flipped on their head with poor performances bringing points and good performances bringing next to nothing. Most players have been in and out of the side, but one man has been an ever-present in the Premier League, and that is Dan Burn.
After a stealth contract renewal to 2026 Dan Burn has put in some consistent performances in the first eight league games this season putting his body on the line with last-gasp blocks and looking the more assured defender next to his centre back partner.
Now Mark Douglas, the i paper’s Northern Football Correspondent, is reporting in an interview with Burn that his form has afforded Newcastle the ability to shift its transfer priorities away from Marc Guehi in January, with the arrival of a new right-winger set to be the focus as Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo emerges as a ‘dream target.’
Douglas says: “Burn’s performances have been good enough to switch the focus on Newcastle’s recruitment away from centre-back options to right wing, an area they sorely need reinforcements.”
The news the hierarchy at United have taken notice and will shift our January focus to other positions that require strengthening is a positive, as the right-wing position is desperately short of quality.
We need another centre-back soon, but with Burn’s form, Sven Botman due back in December, Fabian Schar still performing at a high level and Lloyd Kelly – who is clearly better suited at CB – also waiting in reserve, it feels far more appropriate to spend a big chunk of the available cash on a game-changing RW, not an out of form Marc Guehi who may be available at a cut-price fee next summer.
That said, this isn’t the only area we must improve, as Eddie Howe confirmed today that ANOTHER injury setback for Callum Wilson will rule him out of our next three games. He is out of contract next summer and it’s becoming clear we just can’t rely on the 32-year-old to fill in for or compete with Alexander Isak; the slightly out of sorts Swede who needs someone to push him at present.
It feels like summer mistakes are coming back to bite – a right-winger and reliable Wilson replacement have been needed for some time – but hopefully we can rectify this in a few months time, albeit in a difficult window to do business.
